Experience Art from Africa and around the world at the Cape Town Art Fair taking place from 14-16 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Leading galleries specialising in Modern and historical works from South Africa will once again return to the Past/Modern section with João Ferreira as guest curator of the section. Past/Modern is a retrospective of historical significance, featuring works by modern masters, the section will include resistance and protest art from the apartheid period casting a lens on the socioeconomic effects of the apartheid struggle.
In regard to his aim for the section, João Ferreira states: ‘’Artistic expression has always been an accurate social barometer and drawing from South Africa’s history of late colonial, apartheid and post-apartheid years – artists originating from formal education, community centres, self-taught or cultural tradition, who have reached consensus as to their vital contribution to the evolution of South African art history. This section sets out to create a dialogue about the work, questioning the importance and collectability of the artists, their origin, style and impact on contemporary art.’’
Galleries included in the section are EBONY/CURATED and for their booth they will present a visual timeline of South African artworks created between 1950 – 2000; focusing on specific pieces by Dumile Feni, David Phaswane Mogano and Leonard Matsoso. Goodman Gallery will show an extensive list of artists ranging from Paul Weinberg, Faud Adams, Sue Williamson, David Koloane, Peter Magubane, Jeremy Wafer, Raymond Preston, Harold Rubin, Mainganye Avhashon and Dumile Feni. Graham Fine Art will be showing works by Peter Clarke, Dorothy Kay, Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba. Alongside this will be a selection of works by increasingly sought after Amadlozi group, Cecil Skotnes, Eduardo Villa, Sydney Khumalo and Ezrom Legae among others from WALL gallery.
A solo presentation from The Melrose Gallery by Dr Esther Mahlangu, internationally collected and award winning artist on the verge of her international retrospective, exploring the impact her imagery has on contemporary culture. Kevin Atkinson, Trevor Coleman and Andrew Newall with bold bursts of colour and sophisticated forms in a presentation of Geometric Abstraction from SMAC gallery.
According to João Ferreira, the aim of this presentation is to revisit and revaluate abstract art produced during this period and beyond, an area of increased collecting interest.
“To collect art is more than an artwork on the wall or the expectation of its monetary appreciation. Paintings and artworks concern cultural enrichment and human achievement. They are instrumental to a deeper more meaningful life,’’ says João Ferreira. ‘’To collect art has to do with availability and opportunity, awareness and passion.’’
